India’s best schools: Digital learning has a lot of potential if you know how to use it, says Institute for Digital Learning CEO

Careers360 interviews Dr. Florian Sochatzy, CEO of the Institute for Digital Learning who speaks on his passion for high quality digital learning media. In this interview he also talks about ideal digital learning environment.

Read the full interview to know what the CEO of Institute for Digital Learning shares on e-learning.

Read below excerpts of interview

Careers360:In what way is digital learning impacting the learning landscape?

Dr. Florian Sochatzy: Digital learning has a lot of potential if you know how to use it and add value to it. Digital solutions per se have normally no advantages. It can change the learning landscape into the direction of collaboration, communication and critical thinking.

Careers360: In the context of e-learning, how will the intention of the narration form a design strategy to bring in innovation?

Dr. Florian Sochatzy: Theory and intention form content and content forms technology and design. First you have to know why you want to tell a story, then decide what the story is about and only then you decide what media or what form of (digital) publishing you will use. This ensures the quality and therefore relevance of the content. Digital publishing solutions and media should only be used if you can create real added value for the users, in our case teachers and pupils.

Careers360: What are the requirements of digital learning?

Dr. Florian Sochatzy : If I dream about an ideal digital learning-environment it consists of the following ingredients:

Well trained and skilled teachers who love to teach their subjects and know how to use technology

A school system that fosters creative and collaborative learning environments

Students with digital skills and methodical knowledge who are able to create and communicate

Parents who are not afraid of the digital future

Easy access to devices and Internet

Only few schools have all these ingredients at the moment, but the numbers are increasing. Don’t let an imperfect learning surrounding stop you. The more people use the potentials of digital learning, the faster we will be able to improve education.

Careers360: You said, “Seldom does revolutions begin at the top” in the context of digital concepts in education. What is Germany’s experience in this?

Dr. Florian Sochatzy: Ministries and educational authorities in Germany are very slow in supporting digital learning in schools. Many teachers and pupils are unhappy about this situation and begin changing school on their own. This will hopefully become a strong movement. Do not wait until the government solves the problem, start your own digital education revolution from the bottom.

Careers360: Is India prepared for a paradigm shift in learning with the help of digital learning?

Dr. Florian Sochatzy: A digital and skills-based learning shift is a labour-intense task. I don’t think there are realistic alternatives. Conditions for a digital shift in education are not ideal in many places. But this cannot be the argument for not beginning a paradigm shift. Think about what changed in the last 20 years. For the change in the next 20 years you have to be well prepared, otherwise it will take place somewhere else. The basis for this are well trained teachers and technical infrastructure. India has a great potential to become an important player of the digital future - if it does not miss to change education as soon as possible.

The digital revolution cannot be turned back. In the future, facts-based learning will not help you, as facts are instantly available everywhere. What you will need are skills; skills to create, to innovate, to communicate. Let us comprehend the digital revolution as an opportunity to improve education and therefore our lives.